A Whimsical Treehouse in Whistler

DIYers, take heart: This amazing 200-square-foot treehouse was built over the course of four summers by a non-architect, using only $10,000 worth of castaway items collected from Craigslist.

Designer (and former software engineer) Joel Allen trekked through old-growth forests in Whistler, British Columbia, to find the perfect perch for his rustic retreat: a hemlock tree that stood at the edge of a 20-foot drop.

He said his friends thought he'd gone mad for undertaking such a project. He admitted to refreshing Craigslist every two minutes, waiting for the next new item to pop up so he could swoop in on it before someone else did.

The egg-shaped treehouse was constructed using 18-foot-long ribs that run from top to bottom to form the struts. The cedar siding was salvaged from the interior of an old sauna. Glass from broken cabinets were repurposed into windows. A double pane door turned into a sliding glass door with the addition of Rollerblade wheels on a track.

To create a more efficient space within the tiny footprint, all the built-in shelving and furniture were crafted from free Craigslist finds. Allen used the oft-forgotten space behind the stairs to place a small desk, and built sleeping quarters into the loft.

Since completing this elegant retreat, Allen and his fiancée (who also had a hand in the project) now reside in Salmon Arm, British Columbia, and build small custom homes for lakeside retirement communities.